COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A missing Ohio State football player was acknowledged during senior recognition festivies before Saturday's game against Michigan.
After Ohio State won, 42-28, Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer had a message for Kosta Karageorge.
"Just come home, man," Meyer said in his postgame press conference.
Karageorge, 22, is a walk-on defensive tackle who's been missing since Wednesday. The Columbus Dispatch reported that Columbus Police are treating his disappearance as a missing-person situation.
After the Ohio State seniors -- from managers to starters -- were announced and brought out individually before Saturday's game to greet their parents, the Ohio Stadium public address announcer read a prepared statement about Karageorge: "Ladies and gentlemen, one of our seniors is not with the team today. The entire Ohio State community is deeply concerned and is hopeful for his safe return."
Two pictures of Karageorge and details on his appearance, what he was last wearing and where he was last seen were displayed on the video board at the stadium's south end.
"Our prayers and thoughts are with him and his family to have him returned safe," Meyer said.
Karageorge's parents filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, listing him as white, 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, bearded and bald. He's from nearby Grandview Heights, where a search party was organized Friday.
Karageorge, a former Buckeyes wrestler, joined the football team as a walk-on this season and has played in one game.
"He's only been with us since August, so I don't know him well, but I talked to his mom a couple times," Meyer said. "You need your strength on the team, and I know there have been a lot of prayers on the team."
Susan Karageorge told police her son has had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused, according to the police report. She said that at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, he texted her a message that cited the concussions and said, "I am sorry if I am an embarrassment."
